I found this quite tough for a Tracy, taking longer than my 15-minute target, at 16 minutes. There is no really hard General Knowledge needed (maybe FORFAR is a bit UK-centric), countered by GRACELAND, which … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 1743 by Tracy”
Month: November 2020
Times 27819 – light relief, and another 72 days to wait.
A fairly gentle challenge for a Wednesday, I thought. I had to think about how to make 1a have 13 letters, not just 11, but it really does. 7d is a bit medical but quite … Read more “Times 27819 – light relief, and another 72 days to wait.”
Times Quick Cryptic No 1742 by Bob and Margaret
Introduction 7:04, but felt like it should have been 3 minutes. I was a bit distracted. I imagine many will fly on this one. I have been informed that this is only Bob and Margaret’s … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic No 1742 by Bob and Margaret”
Times Cryptic 27818
Solving time: 48 minutes. Not easy, but satisfying to work through and several words I had not heard of before were clued quite generously. As usual definitions are underlined in bold italics, {deletions and substitutions … Read more “Times Cryptic 27818”
Times Quick Cryptic 1741 by Orpheus
Another speedy solve – not in the same league as my unusually rapid solve of yesterday, but swift nevertheless at 6:38. Yesterday, the long answers flew in but today my LOI was 4dn – a … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic 1741 by Orpheus”
Times 27817 – Round the Horn
What a protracted election! Maybe they should double the number of polling stations and consider e-ballots. Certainly works well with the clubs I am a member of, and after all the USA is famed for … Read more “Times 27817 – Round the Horn”
Times Quick Cryptic by 1740 by Oink
Solving time: 6 minutes. At the moment I seem to be regularly out of step with other opinions about the difficulty of puzzles, but dare I suggest this is all reasonably straightforward? 6 minutes is … Read more “Times Quick Cryptic by 1740 by Oink”
Mephisto 3140 – Parlez-vous francais?
Rather an easy Mephisto, where I was only held back by not dropping wrong theories quickly enough. Even the answers were not very startling, although I was a bit taken aback by chapess. Anta and … Read more “Mephisto 3140 – Parlez-vous francais?”
Sunday Times Cryptic No 4927 by David McLean — Trick or tweet
This one was worked the night of Halloween,Quite the most eerie I have ever seen.For months we’d gone about our daily tasksWith tout le monde already wearing masks.There was no jubilant parade this year,As make-believe … Read more “Sunday Times Cryptic No 4927 by David McLean — Trick or tweet”
Times Cryptic No 27810 – Saturday, 31 October 2020. Happy Halloween.
Given that this puzzle appeared on Halloween, I wondered if there would be spooky things afoot. As it turned out, no … it was much more treat than trick. I finished quickly and relatively easily. … Read more “Times Cryptic No 27810 – Saturday, 31 October 2020. Happy Halloween.”